Menominee County, Wisconsin
Menominee County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the population was 4,232 making it the least populous county in Wisconsin. Its county seat is Keshena. Menominee is Wisconsin's newest county, having been created in 1959 after the Menominee tribe was terminated by federal law. In 1974, the tribe regained federal recognition and restoration of most of its reservation. Today Menominee County is essentially coterminous with the boundaries of the federally recognized Menominee Indian Reservation. Memoninee County is included in the Shawano, WI Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Green Bay-Shawano, WI Combined Statistical Area. History The county was created from the northeastern portion of Shawano County on July 3, 1959, in anticipation of the termination of the Menominee Indian Reservation in 1961. The reservation status was restored in 1973, and is now co-extensive with the county. Most of the land within the county boundary is under Federal trust for the exclusive use by enrolled members of the Menominee nation. Scattered parcels that were purchased during termination, as well as many lots around the Legend Lake area in the southeastern part of the county, are the only parts of the county that are privately owned by non-Native Americans. Most of Menominee County's population consists of members of the Menominee nation.Paxton Hart. "The Making of Menominee County". Wisconsin Magazine of History, vol. 143, no. 3 (Spring 1960):181-189. Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.0%) is water. It is the second-smallest county in Wisconsin by total area. Adjacent counties *Oconto County - east *Shawano County - south *Langlade County - northwest Major highways * Highway 47 (Wisconsin) * Highway 55 (Wisconsin) Demographics |align-fn=center |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2014 }} As of the census of 2000, there were 4,562 people, 1,345 households, and 1,065 families residing in the county. This total makes it the least-populated county in the state. The population density was 13 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 2,098 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 11.57% White, 0.07% Black or African American, 87.26% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. 2.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 5.0% were of German ancestry according to Census 2000. 89.8% spoke English, 7.0% Menominee and 1.6% Hmong as their first language. There were 1,345 households out of which 42.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.50% were married couples living together, 26.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.80% were non-families. 16.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.35 and the average family size was 3.66. In the county, the population was spread out with 38.90% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 19.50% from 45 to 64, and 8.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males. Politics Menominee County has never voted Republican in its history. In 2016, Donald Trump became the first Republican to win over 20% of the vote in the county since George H. W. Bush in 1992. Communities near Keshena]] Menominee County is one of only two counties in Wisconsin with no incorporated communities, the other being Florence County. Town *Menominee Census-designated places *Keshena (county seat) *Legend Lake *Middle Village (partial) *Neopit *Zoar Unincorporated communities *Keshena Falls Ghost town/neighborhood *Perote See also *National Register of Historic Places listings in Menominee County, Wisconsin References External links * Menominee County government website * Menominee County map from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Category:Menominee County, Wisconsin Category:1959 establishments in Wisconsin Category:Settlements established in 1959